School Meals

School Dinners

Poppleton Primary Autumn 24 – Week 1

Poppleton Primary Autumn 24 – Week 2

Poppleton Primary Autumn 24 – Week 3

Our school meals are provided by Hutchinsons – an independent, family-run business. They work with our school kitchen staff to suit our pupil preferences, as well as meet special dietary requirements. Menus run on three week cycles and meals can be selected using ParentPay.

Here at Poppleton Ousebank, we encourage children to eat healthily. School meals are a great choice for your child, but if you choose to make a packed lunch for them instead here are some tips for preparing a healthier lunchbox.

What to include in your child’s lunchbox

A healthier lunchbox should:

• be based on starchy carbohydrates (bread, potatoes, rice, pasta)
• include fresh fruit and vegetables/salad
• include a source of protein such as beans and pulses, eggs, fish, meat, cheese (or dairy alternative)
• include a side dish such as a low-fat and lower-sugar yoghurt (or dairy alternative), tea cake, fruit bread, plain rice/corn cakes, homemade plain popcorn, sugar-free jelly
• include a drink such as water, skimmed or semi-skimmed milk, sugar-free or no-added-sugar drinks

The Eatwell Guide shows you how to have a healthy balanced diet and can help you decide what to put in your child’s lunchbox.

You can also find healthy lunchbox ideas at Change4Life.

Healthier breaktime snacks

Children often like food they can eat with their fingers. Try these ideas:

• Chop up raw veggies – such as carrots or peppers, and give them hummus or cottage cheese to dip the veggies in.
• Chop up fruit – such as apple, satsuma segments, strawberries, blueberries, halved grapes or melon slices. Add a squeeze of lemon juice to stop them from going brown.
• Breadsticks and wholemeal crackers –make great finger foods. Try spreading low-fat soft cheese on them.
• Choose malt loaf, tea cakes, fruit breads or fruit – instead of cake, chocolate, cereal bars and biscuits. Fruit can be fresh or canned (in juice, not syrup).

Dried fruit is not recommended as a snack between meals as it’s high in sugar and can be bad for teeth, but it’s OK when eaten as part of a meal.